Simple Plan & Good Charlotte

Has anyone heard of Simple Plan's new single/video, 'When I'm Gone'?

Honestly, I was afraid to click on the play button when they put the song on their MySpace blog. I was a bit nervous, not knowing how their new song is going to turn out.

But thankfully, all my worries were for nothing.

They were still the band I grew to love for their straightforwardness in their lyrics. They might have changed just a little, but definitely for the better.

I felt guilty for nearly comparing them to Good Charlotte, who went

from:

The Anthem So it’s a new day/ But it all feels old/ It’s a good life/ That’s what I’m told/ But everything it all just feels the same/ At my high school/ It felt more to me/ Like a jail cell/ A penitentiary/ My time spent there/ It only made me see

to this:

Keep Your Hands Off My Girl You carry Dior bags and you got your Chanel/ You wear Louie Vitton, HG and YSL/ Now I got Bathing Ape, I got DCMA/ I got brass knuckles hanging from my neck and my chain/ I got a model 26, but she stays in her place/ I got a kershaw neatly tucked inside of my waist

For those who had been passionate GC fans, for the fact that they wrote heartfelt songs (i.e. Emotionless), they would've felt that their love and effort and support for the band had been scarred.

For those who loved them for their faces, they would continue their support, no offense intended.

For those who listened to 'what's hot', they would love the new GC.

Me? I was a fan who loved them for their songs, especially ones off The Young And The Hopeless.

I even thought that The Chronicles Of Life And Death was okay.

But Good Morning Revival turned me off.

In other words, a good band gone bad.

I was glad SP didn't follow in their footsteps. When I'm Gone is unexpected, yet something I would embrace. With this, I can safely say that the rest of the album is most likely going to turn out just as good. If it doesn't, then I'll still love them for being SP.

Click here to listen.

Carmen.

Eric Dill

When The Click Five first started out two years ago, with Eric Dill being the frontman, I was already a fan, not to mention that I had a sneaking suspicion that the band wouldn't last long.

My instincts told me, with just one glance at Eric, that he would go solo someday, and the band might just fall apart. I even pondered if his solo career would turn out well, or would just crash and burn.

But dear instincts, you were only half right.

He did go solo, but his solo career turned out to be better.

His new songs have reflected the more mature side of him, and as the band had said earlier about his leaving, more 'hard rock'. Well, it's not really that hard nor heavy, but it was definitely deeper and darker than Greetings From Imrie House, which was loaded with power pop tracks with an edge of sugar rush.

As for the band, I think Kyle Patrick @ Kyle Dickherber is a fine replacement. His low-pitched vocals has definitely brought the entire band to a different level, making them stronger and frankly, better.

Either way, my support goes out to them both, and I wish them luck.

Hope to hear from Eric soon!

Carmen.

As Reviewed By A Teenager

I'm not going to review them the way magazines do by rating the artiste/band.

Instead, I want to write how much a certain song mean to me, how much of a remedy it can be and even if the situation is not related to me, I want to try to help people (possibly teenagers) who read my blog to help themselves through music.

You might think that the whole idea is stupid, because you have the mindset that a) someone as young as I am can't have gone through that much to know how to help others and b) music is not strong enough to help someone to stand up.

But that's your mindset.

I think that music has the capability to help people emotionally and mentally.

Because I've been through that phase well enough to know.

Although I haven't come across any yet, I'm absolutely sure that there are people who happen to be on the same boat as I am.

So if music has helped me that way, why not try to help others? I may not make a huge difference, but I'm contented if I can help even a teenager or two.

Carmen.